Wednesday, 21 September 2016

US biohacker Ellen Jorgensen, of Genspace New York, toured Australia in Science Week to promote DIY gene hacking, in informal labs, and to encourage untrained nerds to do genetic manipulation. The OGTR promised to tell her audiences that Australian GM laws require training, contained labs and expert supervision, but did not. The OGTR has also failed to define new 'gene editing' techniques and their products as GM, so they remain unregulated. We advocate tough laws banning any DIY genetic manipulation of living things. Humans invented computer programs but they fail, are hacked and virus infected for fun. Untrained, risk-takers, aspiring to be the next bio-Gates or Jobs, must be stopped.

Get down with DNA10 am, Thursday 18 August,
Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
Stage 6 biology students and their teachers will meet Dr Ellen Jorgensen and
spend the day exploring exciting DIY bio techniques and the amazing things
biohackers do. The DIY bio movement gives bio-entrepreneurs low-cost access to
facilities for proof-of-concept experiments. Hands-on science workshops will be
delivered by Sydney’s leading science organisations including the Royal Botanic
Garden, Taronga Conservation Society, UTS Centre for Forensic Science and the
Australian Centre for Wildlife Genomics. Students will also experience a behind
the scenes tour of the Royal Botanic Garden’s Plant Pathology laboratory to
look at gel electrophoresis, a DNA transilluminator and participate in an
interactive demonstration of plant DNA extraction.

The Global Biohack Revolution6pm, Thursday 18 August, ATP
innovations
Meet the biohackers from Australia and around the world who are leading the
global biotechnology revolution! This all-star panel of biohackers will discuss
the challenges and opportunities in democratisation of science through
biohacking with a focus on education and the commercialisation of research. Dr
Ellen Jorgensen will be joined by JJ Hastings (BioQuisitive, London Biohackspace),
Meow-Meow Ludo (Biohack Sydney, BioFoundry), Andrew Gray (Biohack Melbourne,
BioQuisitive) and Oron Catts (SymbioticA Perth).

DNA groundswell10 am, Friday 19 August,
Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
This session is an opportunity for science communicators and scientists across
Sydney to think about how they can incorporate exciting open access programs
into their work. Learn how Genspace uses biohacking to engage the community through
courses, cultural events, educational outreach and experiences for students and
the public. Meet the people behind BioFoundry, Australia’s first open access
lab that also runs courses for enthusiasts and curious amateurs. Discover how
biohacking is democratising science around the world by lowering the financial
and technological entry barriers to science education and research training.
International guests Dr Ellen Jorgensen will be joined by local biohacker
Meow-Ludo Meow-Meow, Co-founder of Sydney's BioFoundry.

Biohacking: why should we care?6 pm, Friday 19 August,
University of Technology Sydney
How is biohacking changing the world? Should we be concerned about safety? Can
DIY labs ferment a revolution? What are the opportunities? Can they create a
culture of start-ups and entrepreneurs? In this public lecture, Dr Ellen
Jorgensen will provide insights into biohacking, novel applications it has
produced and how it can serve as a useful education tool. This will be followed
by a panel discussion featuring Dr Sheila Donnelly, Prof Peter Ralph and Prof
Michael Wallach from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

Jackie Randles is Manager
Inspiring Australia (NSW). Dr Ellen Jorgensen’s Sydney visit is part of a
national tour supported by Inspiring Australia for National Science Week 2016.

Biological research and
experimentation is no longer the sole realm of Ph.D-having, grant-backed,
hypothesis-wielding scientists. As science moves into more and more complex
territory, it is also — somewhat paradoxically — becoming more and more
accessible to those who lack the bonafide to wear a white coat. In Australia, Biofoundry is at the heart
of the movement to democratize experimentation. Biohacker Meow-Ludo Meow-Meow
(his real name; an homage to the 2001 cult classic Super Troopers) founded
the lab, the first of its kind on the continent, last November. And he says
he’s thinking about building a chain

Inverse caught up
with Biofoundry’s Meow-Ludo Meow-Meow (his real name; an homage to the 2001
cult classic Super Troopers) and picked his brain about what the lab is up
to and what it hopes to achieve.

How did you get
interested in biohacking and creating a place like Biofoundry?

I was halfway through my
molecular biology degree. My job prospects weren’t very good. In Australia, we
pretty much have no innovation and technology work. Basically, molecular
biology graduates are fucked in this country. In New South Wales, which has
about 6 million people, we only have about 12 jobs for biotech.

So I started to get
concerned, because I wasn’t a grade-A student or anything. I looked around, and
I found BioCurious [in
California] and Genspace [in
New York City]. But in Australia, nothing like this was happening. So I figured
it was on the burden of me to get things happening.

I had a meeting with a
group of people about 4.5 years ago. We had a huge group that shrunk down to
about 12, and we continued to meet for four years. That culminated in a few of
us just saying, “Fuck, let’s set up a lab. It’s been too long, let’s make this
happen.”

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Moggy Musings

Hi! My name is Boy. I'm a male bi-coloured tabby cat. Ever since I discovered that Malcolm Turnbull's dogs were allowed to blog, I have been pestering Clarencegirl to allow me a small space on North Coast Voices.

An investigative musing: Newcastle Herald, 12 August 2017: The state’s corruption watchdog has been asked to investigate the finances of the Awabakal Aboriginal Local Land Council, less than 12 months after the troubled organisation was placed into administration by the state government. The Newcastle Herald understands accounting firm PKF Lawler made the decision to refer the land council to the Independent Commission Against Corruption after discovering a number of irregularities during an audit of its financial statements.The results of the audit were recently presented to a meeting of Awabakal members. Administrator Terry Lawler did not respond when contacted by the Herald and a PKF Lawler spokesperson said it was unable to comment on the matter. Given the intricate web of company relationships that existed with at least one former board member it is not outside the realms of possibility that, if ICAC accepts this referral, then United Land Councils Limited (registered New Zealand) and United First Peoples Syndications Pty Ltd(registered Australia) might be interviewed. North Coast Voicesreaders will remember that on 15 August 2015 representatives of these two companied gave evidence before NSW Legislative Council General Purpose Standing Committee No. 6 INQUIRY INTO CROWN LAND. This evidence included advocating for a Yamba mega port.

A Nationals musing: Word around the traps is that NSW Nats MP for Clarence Chris Gulaptis has been talking up the notion of cruise ships visiting the Clarence River estuary. Fair dinkum! That man can be guaranteed to run with any bad idea put to him. I'm sure one or more cruise ships moored in the main navigation channel on a regular basis for one, two or three days is something other regular river users will really welcome. *pause for appreciation of irony* The draft of the smallest of the smaller criuse vessels is 3 metres and it would only stay safely afloat in that channel. Even the Yamba-Iluka ferry has been known to get momentarily stuck in silt/sand from time to time in Yamba Bay and even a very small cruise ship wouldn't be able to safely enter and exit Iluka Bay. You can bet your bottom dollar operators of cruise lines would soon be calling for dredging at the approach to the river mouth - and you know how well that goes down with the local residents.

A local councils musing: Which Northern Rivers council is on a low-key NSW Office of Local Government watch list courtesy of feet dragging by a past general manager?

A serial pest musing: I'm sure the Clarence Valley was thrilled to find that a well-known fantasist is active once again in the wee small hours of the morning treading a well-worn path of accusations involving police, local business owners and others.

An investigative musing: Which NSW North Coast council is batting to have the longest running code of conduct complaint investigation on record?

A which bank? musing: Despite a net profit last year of $9,227 million the Commonwealth Bank still insists on paying below Centrelink deeming rates interest on money held in Pensioner Security Accounts. One local wag says he’s waiting for the first bill from the bank charging him for the privilege of keeping his pension dollars at that bank.

A Daily Examiner musing: Just when you thought this newspaper could sink no lower under News Corp management, it continues to give column space to Andrew Bolt.

A thought to ponder musing: In case of bushfire or flood - do you have an emergency evacuation plan for the family pet?

An adoption musing: Every week on the NSW North Coast a number of cats and dogs find themselves without a home. If you want to do your bit and give one bundle of joy a new family, contact Happy Paws on 0419 404 766 or your local council pound.